Originally written as the sixth book in the
Chronicles of Narnia series, The Magician’s Nephew provides a prologue to the
events which unfold in the Chronicles of Narnia and the later books. Two
curious children, Polly and Digory, find themselves in the midst of curious
events when two magic rings send them into a mysterious realm where Aslan, the
King, reigns. Having never read any of the books besides The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, I found The Magician’s Nephew enjoyable, as it provides the back story
for all of the later events to come. The
creation of Narnia was a particularly interesting part of the book. Lewis is
able to combine Christian mythology with narrative storytelling, so that the
reader is able to engage in the myth of Creation through the actions of Polly
and Digory. Religious parallels can be easily drawn, especially the allusion to
the Holy Spirit as Aslan breathes life into the creatures of Narnia. My
favorite aspect of the book is the explanation of Aslan singing creation into
existence. Thinking of all of reality as a song is both comforting and
overpowering. Like music, life is tumultuous at times—especially when notes and
rhythms get confused. However, when the music flows as it should, there is a
sense of wonder and awe at the splendor which is taking place. Being a singer,
I can reflect easily on the beautiful moments when chords have locked so
perfectly in time that the world seems to stop spinning and all that matters is
the music. I imagine that the sounds of Creation, though perhaps frightening
and overwhelming, would have been the sweetest sounds of all.
*Free from Christian Holmes' edits*
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